Monday 19 January 2015

Brazilian Carnival Samba Parade

The samba parade held to celebrate the Rio Carnival is undoubtedly the biggest attraction on earth, with visitors from around the world flocking to Rio for a week of dancing, singing, and partying. To vibe with the rhythm of the samba parade the only place to be is the Rio Carnival.The Carnival is celebrated in just about every state in Brazil. While each celebration is exciting and wonderful, none of them can equal the amazing extravaganza that is the Carnival in Rio. In all likelihood, the quest to experience the Carnival once could turn out to be an annual habit for any tourist.

Samba Parade is the event where the city’s numerous Samba schools vie for the position of Grand Champion. Each Rio carnival Samba school practices their routine for months before the competition and during the samba parade they are judged on their performance, in a number of categories.

The parade starts at 9 p.m. and goes on until sunlight the next day, around 6-7 a.m. This samba parade marathon is more than a show  it's also a fierce competition. Each year a school is downgraded from special to access group, and vice versa. The year of 2011 is an exception. As there was a fire at Cidade do Samba Parade, none of the schools will be downgraded.

Each Samba Parade School represents an overall theme expressed through the dance, music, costumes, and floats. The costumes and floats are designed and created by the constituents of the school. Membership is not small some Samba Parade Schools have over 4000 members! Each performance takes over an hour as the school executes their routine on the runway of the Sambodrome.

Samba School by Parts Schools are divided into alas (wings or sections), with people wearing the same costumes. Abre-alas is the first group, limited to 15 people or less. They are in charge of greeting the audience, setting the mood, and introducing the theme. Choreographies are often quite elaborate, and may be performed by professional dancers.

Judging the Samba Schools is not an easy task. Professionals selected by the League of Samba Schools (LIESA) to judge the parade are seated throughout the Sambodrome. Harmony, synchronicity, costumes, music, mood, and movements are just some of the elements that contribute to the score of the school. The judges determine which are the six best schools and bestow these schools with the tribute of performing in the Winners Parade the Saturday following the Samba Parade.

There is no better way to get to the greatest party on earth than with our 12-night voyage to Carnival in Rio. Once there, experience the jubilation at the annual Samba Parade the climax of Carnival featuring a non-stop spectacle of joyous song, energetic dance and outrageous floats. More than 100 samba schools from all over Rio compete to perform in the Parade and only the 12 best make it.

The Ala das Baianas are the section of women who wear large circular traditional skirts. The women dance in the skirts by spinning in circles, creating a frenzy of applause and often a standing ovation. 

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